The President of the URE summarises the first year of cable pooling in Poland
The President of the URE is publishing, for the first time, a summary of the monitoring of shared grid connections for renewable energy installations (cable pooling), covering 2024.
- Last year, 12 shared grid connections were completed and 49 cable pooling agreements were signed.
- A total of 130 applications for shared grid connections were submitted and grid connection conditions were issued for 62 cable pooling installations.
- In the case of 47 applications for shared grid connections, refusals to issue grid connection conditions were issued.
- Shared grid connections are potentially very useful in the context of the systematic increase in the number and installed capacity of renewable energy installations, as they allow both the optimal use of existing infrastructure and fuller utilisation of RES generation. For this reason, the President of the URE undertakes systematic efforts to clarify the operating principles of this mechanism. The development of cable pooling depends largely on extending this formula to include at least the possibility of shared grid access by a RES installation and an independent energy storage facility – emphasises the President of the URE, Renata Mroczek.
Legal framework for shared grid connections
Provisions enabling the use of cable pooling have been in force since 1 October 2023.[1] The year 2024 was the first full year in which they were applied. In addition, in March 2024 the President of the URE published Information 15/2024, which clarified issues related to the area of grid connection and the use of cable pooling.
The report published by the Regulator presents the current legal framework for shared grid connections and the requirements associated with obtaining grid connection conditions for installations using this mechanism.
Currently, cable pooling may only be applied to renewable energy installations. Furthermore, in the case of RES installations connected under the shared connection mechanism, only one of them may benefit from a support scheme in the form of the RES auction system or the FIT/FIP system[2].
The Report discusses three types of cable pooling used in practice: Simultaneous Initial RES Connection, Subsequent RES Connection and Secondary RES Connection. The publication presents detailed data on the application of each of these categories.
Cable pooling in 2024
In order to collect information on the use of shared grid connections in 2024, the President of the URE requested data from 192 network operators. However, only the transmission system operator and four distribution system operators provided information on the use of this solution. The remaining DSOs reported that they had not received any applications for grid connection conditions under cable pooling.
Number of installations, applications submitted, grid connection conditions issued and refusals of grid connection conditions for shared grid connections in 2024 (all categories)
Monitoring by the President of the URE indicates that generators most frequently use shared grid connections when one of the installations is already connected to the grid (Subsequent RES Connection). To a lesser extent, the mechanism is used for the simultaneous connection of two installations under one connection (Simultaneous Initial Connection) or for connecting a subsequent installation by the same entity after concluding a grid connection agreement for the first RES installation (Secondary Connection).
Total capacity of installations, applications submitted, grid connection conditions issued and refusals issued for shared grid connections in 2024 (MW, all categories)
In the opinion of the Regulator, the limited number of applications for Simultaneous Initial Connection or Secondary Connection is due to the fact that it is not possible to obtain support for the second and subsequent RES installation connected at a given location if the first installation already holds beneficiary status under any of the support schemes provided for in the RES Act.
Challenges and benefits. Cable pooling in Europe
The publication also presents how shared grid connections function across Europe. Although the concept of cable pooling is not widely applied in other European countries, the report describes its use and the regulatory solutions adopted in Spain, the Netherlands, Italy and Denmark.
The report also outlines domestic challenges related to shared grid connections. From the perspective of network operators, the most significant risk identified is the possibility of exceeding the connection capacity assigned to a given connection point.
At the same time, the President of the URE indicated one of the key opportunities for expanding the use of cable pooling – extending the shared-connection formula to allow its application at least by energy storage facilities. In the Regulator’s view, such a solution would support more efficient utilisation of the existing energy infrastructure and improve management of connection capacity. It would also enable the integration of a larger number of RES installations and storage facilities and could enhance the generation profile of connected renewable sources.
The full text of the report is available on the URE website.